CHAPTER 4 –

What is the result of understanding righteousness through faith and grace of God?

 

 

 

 

Often when we try to help people living under legality to grow in faith we may start from the wrong end. We may urge them to struggle more and more, without first teaching them the basics of faith: righteousness and the grace of God in Christ.

   Understanding righteousness, the grace of God and our identity in Christ usually produces big changes in our life. When we understand that we are constantly pardoned and justified by Christ, it brings about growth, renewal, and a new understanding. This experience has been shared by many people past and present. John Bunyan was among historic figures who wrote about it. Many of today’s well-known servants of God have observed such growth, renewal and understanding in their pastoral care:

 

Erik Ewalds: I have noticed in numerous cases that the only thing that helps a depressed person is the knowledge of God being a God of grace, and that the person can give up all his own efforts and give himself entirely to the hands of God. The depressed person will get an experience of God loving him – not for the sake of his actions and efforts, but despite and regardless of them. (8)

 

C.O. Rosenius: This is what the conscience’s freedom of the law means. We are so free from the law that not a single sin can be put on us. Because we do not believe in what we would want to believe, the conscience has not gotten rid of the law as completely as it has the right to. We must in all ways preserve this freedom. Freedom and trust are the basis of a new person in Christ, and the life and power of all sanctification. Besides, there is no better way to honor God as by believing in Him and trusting in His promises. (9)

 

Pam Woodson: Reading about righteousness in itself means very little if you do not start to believe in being righteous and imagine yourself as righteous. Only when you do this will the word righteousness climb to the top of your vocabulary. When you study this concept with an open heart, it will have a large effect in your life.

   I have seen this effect in the lives of many people. I can say without exaggerating that tens of students who have attended my husband’s righteousness course in the Victory Bible Institute have eagerly come to talk to me and Woody year after year saying, "This course has changed my life.”  – "Understanding that I’m righteous has set me free." – "I have come to understand the biggest truth of the Bible.” (10)

 

Veikko Pekki: When one preaches evangelically, that is, preaches about Christ and His work by which the sinners are accepted, a two-sided phenomenon takes place. Firstly, many people experience freedom from their burdens, legalism, and strictness. I have seen this phenomenon take place tens of times: Showing Jesus as a perfect and sufficient offering on our behalf in front of God brings about miraculous results. One must not think that preaching about grace is easy. Because the law for us is "in the flesh and blood", our own nature and reasoning would require more on people. The results are, however, continuously encouraging. A Christ-centered sermon of grace always has the anointment of the Holy Spirit, bringing freedom to its listeners.

   Again and again have people called or written or come to tell about how their lives have changed. These people have been in need of freedom. The thing that shocks me most is that they have not heard clear and correct teaching about the grace of God in their own congregations. (11)

 

 

 

REFERENCES:

 

1. Mauri Viksten, Ahdistuksesta avaralle, p. 29,168

2. Sven Reichmann, Vapauteen kutsutut (KALLAD TILL FRIHET), p. 62,63

3. David A.Seamands, Kristitty ja tunteet (HEALING FOR DAMAGED EMOTIONS), p, 112

4. James Bryan Smith, Rakkauden varassa (EMBRACING THE LOVE OF GOD), p. 99

5. Urho Muroma, Oletko pelastettu?, p. 56,57

6. Hal Lindsey, Maaplaneetan vapautus (THE LIBERATION OF PLANET EARTH), p.195

7. Neil T.Anderson, Enemmän kuin voittaja (THE BONDAGE BREAKER), p.232,234

8. Erik Ewalds, Sielunhoito ja terapia, p.123

9. C.O.Rosenius, Vanhurskaana Jeesuksessa, p.69,70

10. Pam Woodson, Vanhurskaus on ilmestynyt (RIGHTEOUSNESS REVEALED), p.13

11. Veikko Pekki, Päästäkää hänet siteistä, p. 21